Pierced Hearts (Southern Charmers 1)

“Miller,” Jill chides without an ounce of sincerity.

“Pierce is a hell of a lot more gracious than I am. You heard me. Get your asses up and get out of my brother’s house.”

Mr. and Mrs. Webber rise, but Connie stays in her seat with an increasing guise of defiance.

Poor decision.

“Connie, the only good thing that came out of this shit storm is that I can finally stop biting my tongue when it comes to you. You’re a bitch, a plain-out, cold-hearted, jealous bitch. We’ve pretended all these years for the sake of keeping the peace between you and Pierce. You’ve desperately thrown yourself at us, thinking you could worm yourself into our family. It was never going to happen. You convinced yourself with all your trying that Pierce was going to come around. It was never going to happen. You wanted the money, the house, Pierce parading you around like you were a precious to him. It. Was. Never. Going. To. Happen. Your rap sheet of immorality is a mile long. If it were me, I’d destroy you publicly, but my brother has a nicer disposition.”

I swallow my giggle, but Evin openly chuckles. Connie’s mom pales, her face going white before she finally tugs Connie to her feet and hustles her out. They are on the porch when Miller delivers his kill shot. “You’re a pathetic excuse for a mother. I hope it haunts you for the rest of your life they asked Darby to be with them tonight while you were five feet away. My family is fucking lucky to have Darby Graham agree to be a part of Maya and Cole’s life.” He slams the door but not before I witness Connie’s face crumble and her falling into her dad.

For a brief second, I feel sorry for her, knowing the feeling of your world shattering into a million pieces when there is no more hope. Then Pierce scoops me into his lap, and all pity vanishes.

“I think she got the hint long before you eviscerated her parenting, but that was an exceptional show,” Stephanie praises him.

“Since I’m not going to work, I’m having a stiff drink and sleeping here.” Miller goes to the bar.

“Pour one for me,” Evin adds.

“I think you all should stay here,” Pierce suggests.

“Maya and Cole would love that,” I throw in.

“Y’all can have your slumber party, but I’m taking my bride home to sleep in our own bed. We’ll come back this afternoon and do dinner. Darby, how long are you here?” Warren asks.

“I left in such a hurry; things are up in the air. I’ll shoot off a few messages to check in later, but at least the next two days.”

“Dinner it is then.” Jill and he go out the back door.

“Pierce, I suggest you call John right away. It’s not my area of expertise, but my legal intellect says this little sham is over. Maya’s statement to the police is enough to tank Connie’s credibility. I doubt Darby will need to give any kind of character statement about your mental stability during the time Connie got pregnant.” Stephanie’s lawyer mode is in full force as she sits next to us.

“I’ll do it in a minute.” He folds me into him. “Right now, I need to kiss my fiancée.”

I giggle to the groans around us when his mouth meets mine.

•—•—•—•—•

My eyes open to the bright light, but my line of vision is Pierce’s face. The dark circles and deep lines are proof he’s struggling.

I skim my fingertips along his forehead, over his eyebrow, and into his hairline, massaging softly. “It’s over, baby. They’re safe.”

“Because of you.”

“I still don’t know why I had a hunch they were at the shed. It struck me on the way here from the airport that Cole thought it was cool we had a hidden key.”

“I’ve only ever felt that helpless twice in my life. Both times, the outcome was crippling. You changed that today.”

My heart leaps to my throat and breaks a little. He’s thinking of losing our baby and my leaving. “You would have found them. Maya already admitted her choice to go to my parents in the morning. She was scared.”

“Ten hours, Darby. They were missing for ten hours.”

“I know.”

“And you were missing for five of those.”

“Only because I was on my way to you.”

“You dropped everything and came.”

“Of course, I did. You needed me.”

“I needed you,” he repeats. His troubled eyes glaze over, and I can tell he’s having a hard time. After the events of the day, he could be reflecting on anything. I’m not prepared when he rumbles, “All those years ago, you needed me, and I let you down. I should have chased you, made you talk to me, and smothered you with the love I had bleeding through my veins. You were four fucking hours away. Instead, I fucked up and let that woman into my life. Today, you stepped in and gave me something I can never repay you for.”